A lot of negative language is used in Act 1 by which Shakespeare gives us a sinister picture of Claudius. He comes across as selfish, calculating and greedy. This is because he has everything now that Old King Hamlet once had but is now dead, the thrown and the Queen. There are positive aspects of Claudius such as he is a good public speaker and has smooth negotiations with other people. He is very much a diplomat and he thinks of himself a very powerful man ‘To Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras, who, impotent and bed-rid.’
From the start of Act 2 we see Claudius as being clever when associating with two of Hamlet’s friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find out the cause of Hamlet’s disturbed behaviour. He is courteous to them and full of flattery for himself. He knows how to talk to someone when he wants something ‘the need we have to use you did provoke our hasty sending. Something you heard of Hamlet’s transformation; so call it.’ He tries to pretend that he does not understand why Hamlet is angry ‘more than his fathers death, that thus hath put him.’ He acts very sly and subtle in his language and plays the kind uncle role in front of Hamlet’s friends ‘that being of so young days brought up with him and sith no neighboured to his youth and haviour.’ Claudius feels insecure and wants to know if Hamlet knows his guilty secret. He seems weak in the way of courage and is cowardly ‘whether aught to us unknown afflicts him thus that opened lies within our remedy.’ On the surface he seems very diplomatic and cares for Hamlet but really this is just a cloak to cover his villainous side. He is false, an accomplished liar but loves being King and being with Gertrude. He does have positive qualities as a king, he is successful and a ruthless politician.
Claudius is manipulative when organising how to find out Hamlet’s lunacy with Polonius, his chief councillor. Polonius suggests that Hamlet’s lunacy is because of his unrequited love for Ophelia and plots to eavesdrop on a conversation between two loves ‘Mark the encounter, if he loves her not, and be not from his reason fall’n thereon.’ This reveals to us that Claudius has an evil nature in him.
In Act 3 Claudius suspects that Hamlet is not really mad ‘Getting so harshly all his days of quiet with turbulent and dangerous lunacy?’ The plot that Claudius and Polonius have still goes ahead and Claudius knows it is wrong to spy on Hamlet and Ophelia but goes along with it. Ophelia is obedient to her father, Polonius and is told to pretend she is holy to trap hamlet. This plot is deceptive and through it Claudius presents a positive exterior to others even though he is hiding a guilty secret. He has a conscience but doesn’t use it and he won’t change ‘the harlots cheek, beauticed with plast’ring ort, is not more ugly to the thing that helps it.’
Claudius astutely realises that it is not unrequited love for Ophelia that makes Hamlet appear mad. Claudius perceives Hamlet is a danger to himself ‘Love? His affections do not that way intend; nor what he spake, though it lacked form a little.’ He knows something is upsetting Hamlet ‘there’s something in his soul. O’er which his melancholy sits on brood.’ He becomes very decisive at this point in order to protect his public appearance ‘haply the seas and countries different, with variable objects, shall expel this something-settled matter in his heart.’ He gives the appearance that he is concerned about Hamlet’s welfare but this is a mash for his hidden agenda.
Hamlet’s play to ‘catch the conscience of the king’ proves decisive in exposing the king’s guilt as he loses his composure; shouting ‘Give me some light, away’. We have seen one side of Claudius; he must protect his public image and is desperate to maintain it. However, Shakespeare shows a weak and vulnerable side to the king’s private nature this is shown in his soliloquy. He is heavily burdened by his crime and grief, he feels guilt ‘through inclination be as sharp as will. My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent.’ He is full of remorse and he wants to be forgiven but is weak and cowardly, he is unable to repent for what he has done and cannot pray properly. He is afraid to come face to face with his sin ‘Whereto serves mercy but to confront the visage of offence?’ He is selfish because he wants to keep everything he has gained through becoming king ‘My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.’ He lacks peace of mind and even though he is pleading for help he is still cold hearted and naïve ‘be soft as sinews of the newborn babe. All may be well.’ We can see Claudius as a real person and that human beings are capable of evil and good. Claudius is a character of contradictions because he has strengths and weaknesses as a person and as king. He is a murderer but he is human.
In Act 4, Shakespeare presents Claudius as a man under pressure and beset by a variety of problems. Claudius needs to dispose of Hamlet who is a real danger to him and deals with him in a very business like way and shows his urgency in this ‘Follow him a foot, tempt him with speed abroad.’ He is efficient and sees things as business transactions. He has a blunt and determined language when giving orders. He also believes that citizens in Denmark are suspicious of the death of Polonius and Hamlets sudden disappearance; another concern for Claudius is that Laertes has returned from France after hearing of his Father’s death and will pressure him for answers. The rumours are dangerous to Claudius ‘O my dear Gertrude, this like to a murdering-piece in many places gives me superfluous death, my soul is full of discord and dismay’ However the audience has little sympathy for the king who has brought such problems on himself and who continues to act in a treacherous manner to safe guard his position.
We are presented with a villainous picture of Claudius and of his sly and subtle way and cleverness in his manipulation of Laertes ‘and you must put me in your heart for friend, sith you have heard, and with a knowing ear, that he which hath your noble father slain pursued his life.’ He deflects attention away from himself by inviting sympathy from a vulnerable Laertes. His treachery is evident as he plots with Laertes to kill Hamlet with a poisoned sword and cup.
Claudius prepares a cup of poison for Hamlet during a fencing dual between Hamlet and Laertes, but by mistake Gertrude drinks the poison and Claudius does not care that Gertrude is falling to the floor; he is selfish and treacherous of her death. Claudius is responsible for the poison and tries to minimize what is going on around him ‘O yet defend me friends, I am but hurt.’ Hamlet kills Claudius by forcing him to drink the poison his mother has drank. Hamlet is not an unprincipled murderer and traitor, Claudius is! Claudius has manipulated Laertes and deserved to die by Hamlet, as it was an act of revenge and justice for the murder of his father.
Claudius is the obvious villain of the play presented by Shakespeare as a contradictory character with clear strengths and weaknesses. He possesses excellent leadership qualities, is diplomatic, determined and clever but beneath this impressive public image he is cowardly, deceptive, murderous and duplicitous. He is therefore presented as a complex character throughout the play. Shakespeare’s presentation of Claudius allows him to explore human nature and the themes of corruption, appearance and reality and political intrigue.
